{"id":159693,"date":"2026-03-10T22:02:10","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T22:02:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/159693\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T22:02:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T22:02:10","slug":"cnn-deletes-tone-deaf-post-about-accused-isis-inspired-attackers-in-nyc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/159693\/","title":{"rendered":"CNN deletes \u2018tone deaf\u2019 post about accused ISIS-inspired attackers in NYC"},"content":{"rendered":"

CNN has deleted a social media post that it says \u201cfailed to reflect the gravity\u201d of an allegedly ISIS-inspired attack in New York City.<\/p>\n

The alleged bombing attempt<\/a> took place Saturday at a protest staged in front of Gracie Mansion, the official residence of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Two men, Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, could be seen in videos dropping what was later described as an improvised explosive device at the feet of police and throwing another at anti-Muslim protesters.<\/p>\n

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The protest, called \u201cStop the Islamic Takeover of New York City,\u201d organized by white supremacist Jake Lang, drew roughly 20 people, according to police and videos of the event.<\/p>\n

Balat and Kayumi admitted to police that the attack was inspired by the terrorist group ISIS, according to a criminal complaint unsealed on Monday.\u00a0<\/p>\n

They face charges<\/a> of attempted provision of material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, use of a weapon of mass destruction and three counts related to the possession and transportation of explosive material.<\/p>\n

CNN\u2019s Tuesday post to X led off with \u201cTwo Pennsylvania teenagers crossed into New York City Saturday morning for what could\u2019ve been a normal day enjoying the city.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut in less than an hour,\u201d the post read, \u201ctheir lives would drastically change\u201d after their arrests.<\/p>\n

The post linked to a CNN story<\/a> that took a straightforward approach to reporting the pair\u2019s arrests, the protest and counterprotest and the potential devastation the explosive devices could have caused.<\/p>\n

In a statement, CNN later said the post \u201cfailed to reflect the gravity of the incident, thereby breaching the editorial standards we require for all our reporting. It has therefore been deleted.\u201d<\/p>\n

A post regarding the two individuals arrested for throwing homemade bombs outside of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani\u2019s home failed to reflect the gravity of the incident thereby breaching the editorial standards we require for all our reporting. It has therefore been deleted.<\/p>\n

\u2014 CNN (@CNN) March 10, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Screen capture of the now-deleted social media post<\/p>\n

The fallout<\/p>\n

Reaction to the seemingly sympathetic framing of a terrorist-inspired attack came swiftly.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Many criticized the description as \u201ctone deaf<\/a>\u201d and said it was an example of media bias. Others used the post to resurrect<\/a> an on-screen caption that CNN ran during the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020 describing demonstrations as \u201cmostly peaceful\u201d as the network\u2019s correspondent stood in front of a large fire in Kenosha, Wisconsin.<\/p>\n

Others parodied CNN\u2019s tone by using it to describe other infamous terror attacks.<\/p>\n

\u201cTamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev \u2013 packed their backpacks for a fun day out at the Boston Marathon,\u201d wrote<\/a> Melissa Chen, vice president of the geopolitical intelligence firm Strategy Risks, in a reference to the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.<\/p>\n